Rainbow Trail – Silver Creek Loop

This beauty of a ride starts up a gradual mountain road at the base of Marshall Pass on Otto Mear’s famed toll road. We warm up with several miles of mellow climbing through the forest along Silver Creek, where the beaver’s have been hard at work making pools for the occasional moose that are seen in this area. We then turn onto the singletrack sweetness of the Rainbow Trail! The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Rainbow Trail during the Depression and it starts here at Silver Creek and continues for 100 miles through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, well into New Mexico.

We ride the first 9 miles of the Rainbow Trail to where it crosses Hwy 285. Along the way it alternately climbs and descends through pine and aspen forest, crossing several small creeks and rolling through many high alpine meadows with phenomenal views of Mount Ouray and the Collegiate Peaks. This ride is a local favorite – and for good reason.

Miles: 19

Duration: 2.5-3.5 hours (plus 20 minute shuttle)

Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced – some short steep climbs and some technical downhill sections. Also a bail out option at mile 6 of the singletrack.

Trail: Dirt Road and Singletrack

Rates: $260 first person. $115 each additional person. Max 5. For 6 or more please contact for group rates.

What Our Customers Have to Say

Our outdoor academy used Absolute Bikes Adventures guides over a 2 week period in July and were blown away by the diversity of trails we experienced – from high alpine to desert , through ghost towns and along old railway lines, Salida has got it all!!

— Mr. Glanznig – outdoor youth instructor from Telluride

Absolute Bikes Adventures is an equal opportunity service provider and employer which operates under special use permit with the Pike San Isabel National Forest. And a special use permit from the Bureau of Land Management.

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